Crows among the smartest species of Texas birds

By Jerry Walls

Published
10:50 am CDT, Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Unfortunately, when you travel on roads in Texas, you often see animals that were casualties of collisions with vehicles. When was the last time you saw a dead crow on the road? I can’t remember the last time I did.

Crows are in the corvid family of birds. Among the smartest of our avian neighbors. Audacious, intelligent, inventive and adaptable, crows are among the smartest of species of Texas birds.

The all-black American crow is about 18 inches in length. It has a long, thick bill with a fan-shaped tail. Often, crows are heard before they are seen. The most common call of the American crow is a loud, resounding caw. However, several other variations of calls and sounds are used by crows to convey information to other crows.

Native Americans held crows in high esteem. They considered them good birds and neighbors. Many later-day farmers had a different feeling. Crows would regularly feed on their crops depleting their supply for food and for sale. They organized crow hunts, poisoned the birds and practiced other means to destroy crow populations. Despite all their efforts, the crows survived.

Crows are basically omnivores. Meaning that they don’t turn down many things they find for food. They relish insects, fruits, seeds and even carrion. Yes, they even feed on dead animals that frequently are found on our roads.

Crows nest high in trees with a nest lined with leaves, grasses and bark. Usually four to six greenish eggs with brown spots are laid. They hatch in about 18 days with the fledglings leaving the nest about five weeks later.

In addition to the American or common crow, Southeast Texas is home to the fish crow. Slightly smaller than the American crow, the fish crow is usually found closer to the coast than the American crow. The most noticeable difference in these two crows is the fish crow’s calls. They are usually shorter and more nasal than the American crow’s calls. The fish crow sounds more like a nasal ca or car sound. It takes a bit of practice to differentiate the vocalizations of both species of crows.

In overlapping range areas, crows are often mistaken for ravens. Ravens are not common in Southeast Texas. They are quite a bit larger than crows with a thicker, heavier bill. Like the crows, ravens are highly intelligent birds.

There are reports of crows and ravens collecting jewelry and other small bright and flashy objects to garnish their nests. You may not want to leave your windows open if there are crows around.

So, the next time you see a crow flying overhead, you are indeed watching one of nature’s smartest and most intelligent birds. Take a moment to enjoy the experience. And check your wrist to make sure your watch is still attached!